Water quality is important for the taste of tea

Published on 14/12/2018 Last updated on 23/10/2023

Purity of water determines the taste
Tea sommeliers are unanimous: “Pure water creates the best taste. By filtering water, lime, other minerals and salts are extracted from the water. As a result, the water becomes softer and the taste structure of tea is more balanced and more effective. The purer the water, the better the tea”, according to Erkens and Muylle.

Tea is a healthy alternative
“Tea is a healthy alternative to soft drinks for example, which contain a lot of sugar. It has been recorded by ‘het Voedingscentrum’ (A Dutch governmental institute focussed on advising about a healthy lifestyle) as one of the products that are part of a balanced diet. But how much tea is there really in a cup of tea? A cup of tea consists of 99% water. The quality of water and corresponding acidity (pH value) therefore largely determine the taste”. Purity of water is determined on the basis of its TDS value. A water filter can purify the water, only ZeroWater filters the water to a value of 0 TDS. TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids, which means the sum of all solids dissolved in the water. TDS is measured in parts per million (ppm). Tap water in the Netherlands often has values ​​between 200 and 400 ppm.

City Resort Hotels are the first to use filtered water for new tea products
The hotel chain recently started offering a completely new range of tea products such as the “Chai tea latte” and fresh tea cocktails. This includes working with filtered water. “The distinctive character is no longer only in price, quality and service. Tea is a lifestyle product. Taste is part of the experience we want to offer our guests, ”says Marc Smeets of City Resort Hotels.

Watch this video, where two tea sommeliers take the test:


Tea Sommeliers Mariëlla Erkens (Dutch teachampion 2013) and Jozefien Muylle (Dutch teachampion 2017) know everything about tea and the ultimate taste experience. More information can be found on their websites:

beyourtea.be
(Jozefien)

theesommelier.me
(Mariëlla)